Pike Road High School has announced Brandon Benson as its new Band Director. His hire marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the school’s music program. With a strong background in music education, teaching, coaching, and program development, Mr. Benson’s hire promises to usher in a period of excellence and innovation for the school’s band program and students.
Mr. Benson’s journey into music began in Florence, Alabama, where he was raised and attended Sheffield High School. His passion for music was started at a young age. “My mother pursued a country music career, and my dad was a bluegrass musician,” said Benson.
He was encouraged by his high school band director, Dr. Eric Kirkman, to pursue a degree and career in music. His senior year in high school they had a change of Band Directors and Marcus Stewart came in shared, “You need to pursue music. You’re one of the most musical kids I’ve ever taught.”
He earned a full-ride band scholarship from Northwest Shoals Community College. He then went on to earn a Music Education degree at the University of South Alabama. He has also completed his Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Florida and is currently pursuing his doctorate at Liberty University, which he hopes to complete soon.
With successful stints at J.U. Blacksher and Opp, where he saw significant growth and achievements in the band programs, Benson comes to Pike Road ready to build upon the legacy left by his predecessor, Patrick Darby.
He was attracted to Pike Road by hearing about the new high school that was under construction, along with the history of the program under Mr. Darby, and wanted to follow him up.
Mr. Benson shared, ” I wasn’t looking to leave Opp, but it was a God thing on how all the dominoes just fell into place.” After the offer was made, he recalls that “He prayed about the offer, and felt the Lord was tugging at my heart to come to Pike Road.”
He looks forward to helping to grow the student leadership, particularly in the percussion section, while also fostering growth in other areas of the band, which reflects his commitment to maintaining, sustaining, and improving the program as the school continues to grow.
“I’m not here to necessarily change the culture. I’m here to shift the culture, elevate it in a sense,” he shared. He then emphasized his vision for building on the existing success of the music program at Pike Road High School.
His goal is to maintain and improve the music program while incorporating traditions and techniques learned from his mentors, ultimately fostering not only musical growth but also the development of students who will be future leaders.
“Not only are we trying to develop musicians, we’re trying to build better members for society, and so they can be successful once they graduate,” he shared.”
With a propensity for collaboration and creativity, he plans to incorporate best practices learned from his previous experiences into his leadership of the band program at Pike Road High School. His goal is to instill a student-centered focus and high attention to detail.
“I’m really big on student-led things. And as a percussionist, I want to build a drumline/percussion section and build a band around that, including a strong winds, woodwinds, brass, and auxiliary sections,” said Benson.
Benson is looking forward to supporting elementary music teachers in building a genuine passion for music at a young age and preparing students for success beyond their academic journey. His belief in music education as a tool for developing well-rounded individuals poised for real-world challenges underpins his aspirations for the program’s sustained success.
“Maintain, sustain, and improve is what I’m trying to do,” shared Benson. “Those three big things. Maintain the progress, sustain it, and then improve and, of course, continue to grow.”
At his previous schools, Benson’s impact on the band programs was profound, with notable growth in both numbers and achievements.
Benson is looking forward to putting his touch on the fall half-time show and shared he is striving for the brand to be the most entertaining and best band overall.
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